Since our class is about service learning and giving back to the community, I figured I would write about my previous experience of volunteering at one of our state psychiatric hospitals.  In the summer before my senior year of high school, I signed up for the Junior Volunteer Program at John Umstead Hospital (now Central Regional Hospital.)  I was really nervous before I started working with patients (Would they be able to communicate? Would they be really crazy?)  I soon realized that the patients were like anyone else and all they wanted to do was get better and do something with their lives.  I worked with the hospital’s art therapy program (doing art with patients and the therapist) and in the work/pay program (patients were assigned work and could save and spend their earned money.)  This experience had a huge impact on me and influenced my decision to go into health care, specifically state health care. 

            Health care is the subject of every political debate nowadays and for good reason.  I personally think that health care should be available for every human being and that it plays a major role in human dignity.  For many people, state hospitals and government programs are the only places where they can receive any kind of care.   For example, mobile dental units and free dental care events are the only options for some families to get their teeth cleaned and inspected (my grandfather was a dentist and he would get patients who would superglue their broken teeth together because they didn’t have health insurance.)  This is such an issue!  I don’t know why more people aren’t outraged at the lack of coverage throughout the States!  We’re one of the world’s most developed countries and we can’t even care for all of our citizens.